Mary Evans (artist) facts for kids
Mary Evans (born in 1963) is a talented artist who lives and works in England. Her art often combines ideas from her African heritage and her European upbringing, creating unique and powerful pieces.
Early Life and Art School
Mary Evans was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1963. She loved art from a young age and decided to study it further. She went to St Helens College of Art & Design, then earned her first art degree at Gloucestershire College of Arts and Technology. Later, she got her Master's degree in Fine Art from Goldsmiths' College. To learn even more, she completed a special art residency in Amsterdam at the Rijksakademie.
Her Amazing Art Career
Mary Evans has received many important awards and opportunities throughout her career. For example, in 2010, she was given a special research fellowship at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C.
She often uses paper as her main material, creating very large artworks that are sometimes made specifically for the place they are shown. Her art explores important historical and cultural stories. Her work has been displayed in many places, including the UK, the United States, the Netherlands, Mexico, and China. Some notable exhibitions include Farewell to Post-Colonialism in China in 2008 and Port City in Bristol in 2007.
A critic named Stephanie Baptist once wrote about Mary Evans's art, saying that she is like a "griot." A griot is a very important person in some African cultures who acts as a historian and storyteller, sharing the stories of their community. This means Mary Evans uses her art to tell both her own story and the stories of her ancestors, making sure these important histories are remembered and shared.
In 2020, Mary Evans's work was featured in a special exhibition called Paper Routes: Women to Watch 2020 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Besides creating art, she also teaches art as an Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, helping new artists learn and grow.
Selected Art Exhibitions
Mary Evans's art has been shown in many exciting exhibitions around the world. Here are a few examples:
- 1993: Mary Evans - Art & Project, Rotterdam
- 1997: Filter, Leighton House, London
- 2000: Because a Fire Was in my Head, South London Gallery, London
- 2003: A Fiction of Authenticity: Contemporary Africa Abroad, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
- 2005: 5 Continents and 1 City, Museum of Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico
- 2007: Port City, Arnolfini, Bristol
- 2012: Cut and Paste, Tiwani Contemporary, London
- 2016: Thousands Are Sailing, EVA International Biennial
